misstrainer

Hi there. I'm new to biking, and have grown up with "mountain" bikes my whole life. Recently I've decided to become more healthy, and bike to work and home. Calculated the mileage and it's roughly 150 kilometres a week. I'm looking for a bike that is of ultimate comfort but has speed and versatility. I figured this was a great place to post, although 150km may not be long distance to most of you The land is generall flat, with moderate hills. Nothing to terrible. I thought I'd give it a shot! Any bike reccomendations, or advice in general? I'm going to need all the help I can get, and look foreward to any and all advice/recommendations I can get! Thanks so much!

IronMac

Ultimate comfort with a bit of speed and versatility? I'd look into a hybrid bike.

misstrainer

Any ideas on which brands are great, which models excel? I understand it's probably personal preferance, but I'd like to know where the quality is, in which brands.

ericgu

150km/week is a fair amount of mileage.

The biggest factor in comfort is fit. A pure race bike that fits you well will be much more comfortable than a touring bike that doesn't fit you well.

So, getting the right size and proper adjustment is really important.

Style is up to you, though most people who ride seriously end up on road bikes. If you find a good bike shop and tell them the kind of riding you're doing and what you're price range is, they should be able to help you out.

I will warn you, however, that the low end of road bikes is in the $800 range...

Carbonfiberboy 

Is there a bike club in your area? If so, do they have scheduled group road rides? If so, go down to where one of these things start and look at the bikes. Dollars to donuts they're all road bikes. Probably not two of the same brand. Why? Because the further you ride, the more a road bike makes sense. They are what they are for many very good reasons, which reasons absolutely include comfort. There's no bike more comfortable than a good-fitting good quality road bike. And they're all different because there are so many choices and so many reasons for making different choices which make good sense to different people.

Road bikes do take a bit of getting used to, but probably 100 total miles will see you quite used to it. I said good-fitting. Getting a good bike fit is the single most important thing. Hopefully you can find a good bike shop to help with that. Another important thing is a comfortable saddle. That's a tough one because everyone is different.

Specific bikes is hard, partly because quality costs money, and you probably don't want to spend a lot on your first real bike, which is very sensible. So:
Specialized Dolce
Anything by Trek - wide price range, and they have special womens' specific designs
Bikes from Bike Nashbar, Supergo, and Performance give good performance for the dollar, but it's hard to find a brick-and-mortar store. If you knew the size you could buy one off the web and have your local bike shop finish fitting it for you.

Try to get a bike with at least Shimano 105 grade components. Tell the bike shop you'll want to use fenders and have them put the fenders on.

Many commuters use cyclocross (or 'cross) bikes. They are fairly light, with road bike positioning, but have more room for wide tires and fenders than a standard road bike. They are a good compromise in many areas, especially if the streets and roads in your area are not particularly well maintained.

150k/week - translated into miles which I understand - is less than 10 miles each way or only about 45 minutes en route. That's not far enough to worry about serious conditioning or comfort issues if it's fairly flat. It will add up, though. Be prepared to eat a little snack when you arrive at each end. 100 miles every week is serious yearly mileage, though. If you can keep that up, you'll get in great shape.

Have fun!

IronMac

I don't want to poo-poo too much the idea of a racing bike but if the OP is primarily concerned with commuting almost any type bike will do the trick. The most important factor is making sure that the bike fits properly. It doesn't matter what sort of bike it is.

I'm still going to say that a hybrid is probably the best choice. It can be relatively fast (not as slow as a mountain bike on knobbies but not as fast as a racing bike), it can handle significant variations in terrain (anywhere from dirt roads which a racing bike can't do comfortably to pavement which a mountain bike isn't so hot at), it has a more upright position which can make it more comfortable, it can handle a variety of tasks such as shopping, touring and commuting. And it's not so expensive that the OP is going to be afraid leave it outside for long periods of time.

I'm partial to Trek hybrids but I'm sure that others can chime in with their choice. My hybrid is 17 yrs old and has done it all with the exception of mountain biking and club rides. Last year, I did close to 6000 kms with it and the year before that it was 9000 kms. It's been run in all sorts of weather conditions from winter to summer and all sorts of ground from pavement to desert. The latter isn't recommended, though.

BTW, what is the budget?

misstrainer

Was intending to keep budget at $1000, but will pay for quality.

The road's I'll be commuting on are pavement with perhaps .5km, or rough pavement/potholes.

CliftonGK1

Cross-Check complete, and swap out the 'cross tires for something a little more street-suited; 32mm or 35mm Conti Ultra Gatorskins or Schwalbe Marathon Plus. Throw on some fenders and a rack, and you're well set for 150km/week of commuting plus some distance rides on the weekend.

(I'm biased, though. I just got a Cross-Check complete.)

Bacciagalupe

I hope your ego won't get hurt here, but... 150km a week is nothing. I'll do 125km on a typical Saturday.

It's about 10 miles (15km?) each way to work, yes? Seriously, you could use almost anything for rides that short.

I'd get a $300 - 400 hybrid -- or heck, put slick tires on an old MTB if you've got one around -- and put some fenders on it. That'll work just fine and won't break the bank if it ever gets stolen.

bmike

did you think of posting this in the commuting forum?

Treker

I think you're missing the OP's goals/situation: better health, 30km/day, $1000 budget, what recommendations? Yes, a $300 hybrid satisfies the commute aspect and it would achieve some health benefits. But the OP would never be joining you on Saturday 125km rides now, would he/she?

Form follows function: if it's all roads, then I suggest a road bike, if all trails then a mtn bike, if a mixture of both then maybe a hybrid capable of both. As proposed, it's all roads so I'd recommend a road bike for the following reasons:
- efficient commuting,
- easily capable of scaling to longer, say 125km, weekend rides,
- more accomodating to goals such as optimizing speed over distance.
- $1000 budget suggests a fine road bike which further motivates a newbie rider. Consider a discounted 07 model to maximize value.

Good luck

ianjk

lol. Don't listen to this. Get a quality used bike. For next to nothing you can get a comfortable steel lugged road bike that will last a lifetime. Throw a good set of tires and seat on it and will be happy. A $800 bike is not low end in my opinion. My favorite (geared) ride is my old Miyata from the '80's, I dumped a whole $10 to buy it (lucky find, but I am always on the lookout for deals) and spent a little more for new tires, tape. I have ridden it on centuries, used it to commute 130+ miles a week, and have never had anything break. (Although I did pull the rear cassette/hub apart and cleaned it/lubed it which took about 30 minutes on a rainy day). I have seen similar bikes that have been professionally serviced in the $200 range at local shops, which would come with free tune up/adjustment (worth it if you do not have tools/experience).

Anyway, I'd take a $50 used bike that works and fits over a new $800 bike that works and doesn't fit.


Sorry about the rant, I just get angry when people try to give the impression that cycling is an expensive hobby and that you neeed the latest and greatest 50 speed titanium bike with Ubertegra and 2 spoke aero wheels for daily use. (No offense ericgu).

Like any sport/pastime/activity, it is all about having fun.

misstrainer

Thank you for all your input! Very much appreciated! Will be heading around to my LBS's this week to see what they've got. Also planning on looking in classifieds for a nice used one. I do have an old MTB but have outgrown it, so on that.

IronMac

Make sure to report back!!!

jstava

I'm with Ianjk. I'm still riding the same old road bike, It was a good used bike bought off a friend of mine second or fourth hand over 30 years ago. I've replaced the brake cables twice, the rear wheel twice. (I actually wore a cone out) I'm on my third rear cluster. The last time was because I needed a different hub to suit the cassette I was fitting, 2 freewheels, on the second, I put sealed bearings in the crank. Lots of spokes, countless tyres and tubes, half a dozen sets of brake pads, 3 seats. I've disassembled the steering head bearing twice in that time. It was fine both times. Over 30 years. 120 -200 km per week. The occasional road trip. (Tour)

They last a long time.

Just get one that fits and that you like to ride. Then ride it, keep the drive train clean and well lubricated and fix what wears out. It'll last forever. Great biking doesn't have to cost much at all, and remember, it's the rider that makes it go, not the other way around.

misstrainer

Thanks for all the information,been looking around for a while now. Next two weeks I'll most likely be making the purchase !

bobbycorno

Hybrid?!? Bah! Comfort, speed and versatility spells "recumbent". Especially in rolling terrain. Major mountains are another question.

Seriously, go over to bentrideronline.com and see if any of their dealer sponsors are within a couple hour drive. Or put out a post askiing if any 'bent riders live near you, and would be willing to let you test ride their bikes (and chances are they would). You may find that a 'bent suits you (as I did after 45 years on upright bikes), or you may not. But you owe it to yourself to find out.

Scott P
Bend, OR

ps - Some will probably tell you that bents are only for "fat old guys". Au contraire. Though some might consider me old at 54, my finishing time on last week's 300k brevet put me in the top 40%. Not bad for being on a "fat old guy" bike, eh?

crisi13

From personal experience...if there is even an inkling in your mind that you might want to do club rides or longer rides on weekends (not racing)...get a road bike. I bought a Hybrid in February because I was only going to do a little recreational riding and to get into shape. I loved cycling so much that I traded the Hybrid in on a Road Bike in March (not at all cost effective!!). I just did my first metric century this past Saturday and I am so glad I had the road bike! Just one more thing for you to think about!

thebulls

Another vote for getting a "road bike" -- but get one that's capable of handling rough roads over long distances and all kinds of weather conditions, not a twitchy little race bike with 700x18 tires that can't handle fenders. The suggestion someone made of a cross bike seems like it would work well. Or the suggestion to go used -- my commute bike is an '84 Trek 400. Any of the Trek 400's built between '84 and about '90 would work well as a commuter bike, or a long-distance riding bike. I particularly like the '86 and '87 model year since it was built around Reynolds 531, which has a very lively feel. All can take 700x30 tires with fenders. These Trek's sell on EBay for typically between $70 and $200, depending on condition and equipment. There are several other Trek models that would work well, but the numbers change all around and some might be on the racier side and harder to run with fenders.

"crisi13" is right: If you get a hybrid and then decide you really like bicycling -- which is the most likely outcome from riding twenty miles a day -- then you'll be wanting to get a road bike.

Oh, and don't let anyone tell you that a twenty mile a day commute is nothing. I've commuted regularly for twenty years. I've ridden my current twenty mile a day commute _every_ day that I've gone in to the office, in all sorts of weather conditions, for 3-1/2 years running. It's a thousand feet of climbing a day. Temperatures between 10F and 105F. Rain, sleet, snow. The workout is as good as you care to make it. You can ride at maximum possible effort all the way. Or you can take it easy to recover from the 600K you rode the previous couple of days. You'd think that you'd get so used to riding your 20 mile commute that you'd never notice it, but for me there are still days when I get home feeling just thrashed. Frankly, I don't know anyone in this area who has a much longer commute who rides every day, because it ends up being too far.

Nick

PS, In case anyone wants to say that I only think 20 miles a day is a decent commuting distance because I'm a wimp: Mileage totals since I started bothering to keep track ...

2004 3724
2005 7021
2006 8317
2007 9614
2008 2600 (so far)

So far this year: three centuries, five 200K's, a 300K, a 400K, and a fleche.
Just under 40000 miles total since I bought my "new bike" in 1990.

IronMac

Actually, I do know someone at an LBS who keeps pushing me towards buying a recumbent. They're like recumbent central for Toronto. I don't know...my hesitation is more because it would take up too much room and I do self-supported touring. Yeah yeah, he says that I can pack on as much as before but I don't know...

misstrainer

Hum... So I've been really looking into the Trek WSD 1.2. Any opinions? Please critisize now if you have any, before I buy! All opinions appreciated. Are there any bikes relatively equal to this bike I should be opening my eyes to?

IronMac

If it feels good TO you then buy it.

Just make sure that you budget for a couple of locks and/or have a secure place for it at work.

Carbonfiberboy 

Nice bike.

If you're thinking WSD, do you fit the female model that this bike is designed for? Longer legs, shorter torso, and shorter arms than the average man of your same height? You'll probably want clipless pedals and decent shoes, probably MTB shoes since you're commuting. Add those in.

If you are getting a small frame, check for toe overlap. Can you turn the wheel with one foot at 3 o'clock without touching your toe? Part of the WSD feature is that the top tube is shorter, thus the front wheel is closer to the bottom bracket. This is a bigger deal for commuters than sport riders.

Will your LBS install fenders on it for you? Don't figure on doing it yourself: carbon forks can be a massive pain in the tail to install full fenders on. You can always use Race Blade fenders, but they don't protect your brakes from grit. In the PNW, many people run full fenders from November to April and then use Race Blades for the spring, summer, and fall. Or if you live somewhere it doesn't rain, not a problem.

Did you look for a used bike with say, Ultegra components? Sora is OK, but won't last like Ultegra or 105 components.

Did you ride the bike? Did you like it? Then good!

I don't know of anything that's definitely better for the price, especially if it fits you!

How will you carry your stuff? Backpack? This bike doesn't seem to have eyelets. You can probably find a trunk rack that clamps to the seat post and will fit between saddle and fender. Might take some research, but worth it.

Sixty Fiver

I average 277 km a week for the whole year but from May to October I ride nearly 60 km a day / 360 km a week since there is more recreational riding to be done.

My commute is 26 km and I do most of that on a fixed gear road bike or a fixed mtb in the winter and find that I am pretty comfortable on either over much longer distances.

I also built up a cross country / tourer that runs 16 speeds, runs on cross tires, and is an excellent machine for long distances over pretty much any kind of terrain.

The Trek FX series and their counterparts are pretty well regarded when one is looking for a nice blend of comfort and speed and my cx/tourer was built up on an older Trek 7500 frame and fork.

misstrainer

Wow, very informativve guys!

Went to the LBS last night, and had great customer service, the staff seemed quite knowledgable. I took a look at a Specialized Dolce, which really caught the eye, nice looking bike. Their certified to do fittings, so I'm going to be booking one asap. They said during the fittings, they will show me bikes that are better fit to my frame. I'm thnking my arms never seem long enough to reach the top shelf, and touching my toes is a pain in the as$, so I must have womens shape I'm thinking, lol. The bike store said they will look after that.

Pricing on WSD 1.2 and Dolce, is about 900 each, relatively good pricing or a little pricey?

Do you think there are any mods I have to do to my new bike once I get it? Should I get a bit wider tires as previously suggested? Having fenders installed is something I'm already doing, I will not be doing much if any winter riding, and full fenders nessecary, which fenders are most suitable? I live relatively dry but do get some good drops in the summer.

Thank you all so much for sharing knowledge with me, being new, its nice to have experienced opinions!